Angels make first roster cuts of spring training

The Angels made their first round of spring training roster cuts on Tuesday, sending seven players to minor league camp. The headliners were the pair of prospects added to the 40-man roster in November, second baseman Jahmai Jones and pitcher Hector Yan.

In addition to Jones and Yan, the Angels sent pitchers Luiz Gohara, Adrian De Horta, and Matt Ball, plus catchers Franklin Torres and Harrison Wenson to minor league camp.

Jones was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake, which represents a promotion for the now 22-year-old who hit .234/.308/.324 in Double-A Mobile in 2019. Jones was drafted by the Angels in the second round in 2015. He was 5-for-20 (.250) with a home run and a double in nine games this spring.

Yan and Jones were added to the 40-man roster in November to protect them from being exposed to the Rule 5 draft. The left-handed Yan had a 3.39 ERA for Low-A Burlington last year, with 148 strikeouts in 109 innings. He turns 21 in April, and struck out five in 2⅓ innings this spring, allowing a pair of runs (one earned) in two Cactus League appearances. He was optioned to High-A Inland Empire, which would be a promotion for him as well.

Jones was ranked the eighth-best prospect and Yan 12th in the Angels system by MLB Pipeline.

Gohara is an interesting long-term play for the Angels, even though he didn’t pitch in 2019 after shoulder surgery. He was a consensus top-100 prospect in baseball just two years ago, and had 49 strikeouts in 49 innings in the majors at ages 20-21 in 2017-18, posting a 5.33 ERA and 3.47 FIP.

After the moves, 55 players remain in Angels major league camp — 29 pitchers, and 26 position players.